Monday, April 5, 2010

The State Department's OIG has just released its report on INL's Air Wing program in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Excerpt below:

The Department of State’s (Department) Office of Aviation in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL/A) supports U.S. Gov­ernment counternarcotics missions with aviation expertise and resources. INL/A provides aircraft and operates Air Wing programs in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bolivia, Colombia, Guatemala, and Peru. In 1998, INL/A entered into an aviation services contract with DynCorp International to support worldwide counternarcotics mis­sions. In November 2005, INL/A awarded a new performance-based contract to DynCorp for the continuation of aviation support services. The total value of the current contract (November 2005 to October 2009) with DynCorp is $1.07 billion for all countries. Since January 2005, the Afghanistan Air Wing program has received $356 million1, and Pakistan Air Wing operations have been funded at $32 million. [...]OIG noted weaknesses in INL/A’s contract and management oversight of the Air Wing program in Afghanistan. Three PSCs monitor mission operations by acting as senior aviation advisors. However, INL/A directs all contract deliverables and cost reports to be sent directly to its staff in the United States, without verifi cation by these PSCs, and OIG was unable to determine whether DynCorp’s deliverables are accurate or charged costs are proper. A COR from INL/A has never been to Afghanistan, and there are no plans to send a COR to the country.[...]In Pakistan, the Air Wing program, funded at $32 million to date, has been generally effective in providing critical air support for activities along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, including a variety of missions for the Pakistan Government. However, DynCorp has had problems meeting some of the contract terms, par­ticularly flying hour goals. The inability to meet the required aircraft readiness rate is directly related to low levels of maintenance personnel and, according to INL/A, is also affected by issues with staff from Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior. OIG was unable to determine whether the Pakistan Government is adhering to the terms of a letter of agreement regarding use of INL/A aircraft, and found that the govern­ment continues its reticence in providing information on flights. The PSC who is the senior aviation advisor for the Air Wing program in Pakistan, reports directly to the INL/A COR in the United States on all contractual issues. The COR has never been to Pakistan. This situation potentially weakens management and internal controls. OIG also learned that neither INL/A nor DynCorp knows who owns the informa­tion system, AWIS, or its contents, which are critical to operations in all six countries under the Air Wing contract.

Related Item:
The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Air Wing Program in Afghanistan and Pakistan | Performance Audit | Report Number MERO-A-10-03, March 2010 | PDF